Ventilating fan construction



R. A. PAPSDORF 3,002,676 v Oct. 3, 1961 VENTILATING FAN cons'muc'rrou 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1959 IN VEN TOR. ROBERT A. PAPSDORF ATTORN S 0d. 3, 19.61 R. A. PAPSDORF VENTILATING FAN CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. ROBERT A. PAPSDORF W ATTOR EYS United States Patent O 3,002,676 VEN'IILATING FAN CONSTRUCTION Robert A. Papsdorf, Claremont, Calit, assignor to Emerson-Pryne Company, Pomona, Califl, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 786,160

' 7 Claims. ((1230- 417) 7 The present invention relates generally to the construction of a ventilating fan unit and more especially to means in such a unit for mounting a motor and impeller within the housing. In a ventilating unit of this character, the usual practice is for the motor and the fan or impeller to be assembled and then mounted as a unit inside the housing which forms a portion of the air duct. For this purpose there is provided a motor mount which supports the motor inthe proper position and which is attached to the housing. The motor is mounted adjacent to an opening in the housing. At this opening in the housing is a venturiring which defines the actual air inlet to the impeller and directs the air stream to the impeller. This venturi ring, and the motor mount have heretofore been separately fabricated members attached to the housing.

. Thus it is a general object of my invention to design the motor mounting means and the venturi ring in the manner to achieve maximum efficiency in operation and likewise to obtain minimum manufacturing costs.

These advantages of my invention have been attained in a ventilating fan unit of the character described, in which a unitary venturi ring and motor mounting means comprises a central plate to support the motor, a plurality of arms integral with the plate extending outwardly therefrom, and a venturi ring of a diameter suitable for the impeller with which it is used, said venturi ring being integral with the outer endsof the arms. Also integrally formed with'the venturi ring is an attachment flange joining thering at a point axially spaced from the connection to the arms. 7 This attachment flange is engageable with the wall .of the housing around the opening therein properly to locate the motor and fan within the housing. The venturi ring is ordinarily a figure of revolution, typicallybeing a cylindrical member which is concentric with the axis of revolution of the impeller.

In a preferred form of the invention, the housing has an outstanding 'fiange around the inlet opening which provides a plaster ground. The attachment flange on the unitary ring and motor mount has a section which, when all parts are assembled, is parallel to and in engagement with this outstanding flange. The complete unit includes fastening means for attaching the motor mounting. means to the housing, this fastening means being of a character which is disengageable by rotation of the motor mount and ring relative to the housing. In order to lock the motor mount against rotation which would disengage the fastening means while the power supply isconnected to the motor, an electrical receptacle adapted to receive a removable plug is mounted on the housing and accessible through an opening in the attachment flange. When the plug is inserted in the receptacle to complete the circuit to the motor, the plug .is in a position to lock the motor mounting means against rotation in the direction to disengage the fastening means.

How the above objects and advantages of my invention, as well as others not particularly mentioned, are ,attained, will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a ventilating unit constructedaccording to my invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded, vertical median section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the unit installed the combined motor mount to the housing;

admit air.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectionon line 4-4of FIG. 3. a

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing a receptacle with a plug therein.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the attachment flange rotated from the position of FIG. 5 after the plug has been removed from the receptacle.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified form of my invention, but without fan and motor. a

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 8-8 of FIG. 7. I

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary inverted plan of th fastening means and anti-rotating device.

FIG. 10 is a vertical section on line 1010 of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a housing indicated generally at 10. Although the invention is not limited to any particular size. or design of housing for the ventilating unit, the one illustrated in the drawing is widely used though perhaps at times with dilferences in details of design. Housing 10 has two flat spaced walls 11 and 12 which, when the ventilating unit is installed in the ceiling as in FIG. 2, become respectively the upper and lower walls of the housing. These two walls are joined by a side wall 14 which is curved for most of its length but includes straight terminal sections adjoining the airvoutlet 16 from the housing.

Housing 10 has an air inlet opening in wall 12, this inlet being surrounded and defined by outstanding'flange 15 which is integral with side wall 12. Air leaves the housing through outlet 16 between walls 11 and 12, which is preferably rectangular in shape for easy connection to a suitable duct for discharging air.

Wall 12 of the housing has mounted on it a plurality of nailing tabs 18 by which the housing may be attached to studs or ceiling joists 19 of the building in which the ventilating unit is installed. Flange '15 then serves as a plaster ground, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, allowing the housing to be plastered over except for the opening to Air is moved from the inlet to outlet 16 of the housing 'by a fan or impeller 22 consisting of a plurality of blades of any suitable design. The impeller is mounted upon the drive shaft of an electric motor 23 to be rotated by the motor about vertically extending axis 24.01: the shaft. The drive shaft extends beyond the upper end of the motor for direct mounting of the blade assembly on the shaft. The blades of the impeller extend outwardly beyond and downwardly around the motor to reduce overall dimensions and move cooling air past the motor. The impeller and electric motor are assembled together and are handled as a unit.

This assembly consisting of the impeller and motor is mounted within the housing by means of the combined venturi ring and motor mount of unitary construction which is mounted in the opening in housing wall 12. This motor mounting means is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, and comprises a central plate 25 upon which the motor is supported, beingattached by screws 26 which pass upwardly through the plate. A plurality of arms 27 are integral at one end with a central platev 25, these arms extending radially outward from the plate. In the designillustrated there are three arms 27; but it will be realized that this number may be changed if desired. As may be seen in FIG. 4, arms 27 may be Patented Oct. 3, 1961 slightly curved in transverse cross section in order to give them greater stiffness, as will be understood. If this is done, central plate 25 may conveniently be provided with anupstanding peripheral rim 25a. p

At their outer ends, arms 27 are integral with venturi ring 29, which is preferably a cylindrical member with its axis concentric with the axis of revolution 24 of impeller 22. The venturi ring has a diameter slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of impeller 22, and it extends inwardly to a point closely adjacent the blades of impeller 22 in order to direct entering air to the impeller., Ring 29 circumscribes and defines the actual air inlet to the impeller. Venturi ring 29 is not necessarily limited to being a cylinder since, generally speaking, it can be any figure of revolution, for example a conical surface, about the same axis.

Integral with the outermost or lower edge of venturi ring 29, is an attachment flange which extends around the full circumference of the ring. This attachment flange, while made in a single integral piece, has two more or less well defined sections 30' and 31 angularly disposed relative to each other. The first section 30 lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis and preferably is coincident with or parallel to the plane of wall 12 while the second section 31 of the flange is inclined downwardly and outwardly relative to the first section. Inclination of this second section is such that it may be brought parallel to and in engagement with flange 15 of housing wall 12 in order to locate the combined venturi ring and motor mounting means properly with respect to the housing. It will be noted that arms 27 are joined to the venturi ring at the innermost end of the ring closest to the fan, and thus are connected to the ring at a position spaced axially from the attachment flange which is at opposite or outer ends of the ring. However, in order to minimize the overall dimensions of the housing, it is preferable that central plate 25 be located at or near the plane of housing wall 12. For this reason arms 27 are inclined inwardly of the housing or upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 4, from the central plate.

In order to hold the unitary ring and motor mounting means in position, suitable fastening means is supplied. A preferred form of fastening means is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and comprises a threaded bolt 33 attached to housing flange 15 and upon which wing nut 34 can be screwed. An L-shaped slot 35 is placed in the attachment flange to receive bolt 33. It will be understood that, when the motor mounting means with the motor on it is inserted into the housing and moved along the central axis, bolt 33 passes through the radial leg of slot 35 to reach the apex of the slot, after which the motor mounting means may be rotated about the central axis to move the bolt along the circumferential leg of the slot. In this position, a wing nut 34 may be applied to the bolt and screwed down to hold the attachment flange against rotation relative to the housing. The number of such bolts in the fastening means may be changed if desired, but it is convenient to provide three as shown in FIG. 1.

This fastening means is disengageable by reversing the steps just outlined, including the direction of rotation of the motor mounting means relative to the housing, to remove the motor and impeller from the housing for servicing. According to my invention I provide means associated with the power supply to the motor to hold the motor mounting means against such reverse rotation as long as the electrical conductors to the motor are physically connected to supplyelectric power to the motor. This means includes receptacle 40 rigidly attached to housing with the side of the receptacle which is adapted to receive the prongs of plug 41 accessible through opening 42 in section 30 of the attachment flange on the motor mounting means. When this motor mount has been rotated to the extreme position with the fastening means fully engaged, opening 42 is directly above receptacle 40 and the prongs on plug 41 can then be inserted in the appropriate openings in receptacle 40 as in FIG. 5. Plug 41 is attached to the end of conductor 44 which is also connected to motor 23. Receptacle 40 is connected to a power supply circuit by other conductors 45, and in this way the electrical circuit to the motor is completed. It will be seen from FIG. 5 that in operating position plug 41 may be engaged by one side of opening 42 by a small amount of rotation of the motor mount in a reverse direction, i.e., the direction to disengage bolts 33 from slots 35. This engagement of the plug by the mount prevents rotation of the motor mount for a sufficient distance and in the direction to disengage it from fastening means 33. Rotation of the motor mount to remove it from the housing can only be accomplished when plug 41 is disengaged from receptacle 40, as shown in FIG. 6. Although not necessary, it is preferred that receptacle 40 be tilted slightly with respect to the plane of rotation of flange section 30 in order to reduce the possibility of accidental contact of the flange with one of the prongs of plug 41 should the plug not be fully seated.

When installed in the ceiling or the like it is desirable to cover the air inlet of the housing by means of an ornamental grill 50 shown in FIG. 2 in position occupied just prior to mounting over the air inlet. In order to hold this grill in place, the central portion of plate 25 is slightly dished in order to receive the head of bolt 51 between the plate and motor 22. Grill 50 has a central hole through which bolt 51 is passed. When grill 50 is in position over the air inlet its rim rests against the plaster (not shown in FIG. 2) around the air inlet, and it is held in place by means of a threaded nut in the ornamental knob 53 which is screwed onto bolt 51.

A modified form of my invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this form of the invention the ventilating unit is constructed and installed in the same manner as previously described, except as to those features which are pointed out below. The principal differences lie in the construction and arrangement of the mutually engaging portions of the housing and the combined venturi ring and motor mount. As will be seen by reference to FIG. 8, the outstanding flange 15b around the air opening in the housing wall is approximately perpendicular to housing wall 12 instead of being disposed at an acute angle thereto as is flange 15 in FIG. 4. At the base of this flange and inside housing 10 there is attached flat annular plate 56 which projects radially inwardly from flange 15b. This provides a ledge or shoulder which engages the radial portion 30 of the attachment flange on the combined venturi ring and motor mount. The outstanding flange section 31 may be omitted.

The fastening means comprises screws 57 screwed into threaded holes in plate 56 and passing through key-hole slots 58 in flange 30. V

It is preferred to provide anti-rotational means in the form of protrusions 59. These are struck from inner face of the metal at the junction of the wide and narrow parts of key-hole slots 58. When screws 57 are in the end of the narrow part, as in FIG. 9, and are tightened, protrusions 59 hold ring 3i) against rotation in a direction to disengage it from screws 57. Since this unit is normally ceiling mounted, the weight of the motor and mount presses ring 39 down against the heads of screws 57 even if they are not tight, and the anti-rotating effect of the protrusions is still exerted.

Receptacle 41 is mounted on the housing as before to prevent accidental disengagement of the motor mount and fastening means.

From the above description it will be seen that various changes in design and arrangement of 'parts, other than described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Accordingly it is to be understood that the foregoing is considered to be illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as defined by the appended claims. v

the arms; an attachment flange joined to one edge of the venturi ring and engageable with a wall of the housing around the inlet therein to locate the motor-mounting means relative to the housing;

fastening means for attaching the motor mounting means to the housing, said fastening means being disengageable by rotation of the motor mounting means relative to the housing; and an electrical receptacle in the power supply to the motor mounted on the housing and adapted to receive a plug, the receptacle being accessible through an opening in the attachment flange whereby the plug when inserted in the receptacle holds the motor mounting means against rotation in a direction to disengagethe fastening means. I

2. In a ventilating fan construction including a housing wall having an air inlet opening therein, the combination comprising:

a removable impeller and motor mount adapted to support an impeller at the opening;

fastening means for attaching the impeller and motor mount to the housing, said fastening means disengageable by rotation of the mount relative to the housing;

and a stationary electrical receptacle in the power supply to the motor on the mount adapted to receive a plug to complete the power supply circuit, said receptacle being attached to the housing wall and being accessible to the plug through an opening in the mount whereby the plug when inserted in the receptacle holds the mount against rotation in a direction to disengage the fastening means. a

3. In a ventilating unit construction, the combination of:

a housing having a wall with an opening therein surrounded by a flange extending away from one side of the wall to provide a plaster ground around the opening;

a removable fan and motor mount of one-piece construction comprisinga central plate to support a motor and fan, a plurality of integral arms extending outwardflange on the housing wall is frusto-conical in shape and the attaching flange has a complementary frusto-conical section engaging the housing flange.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 in which the fastening means comprises a fixed bolt mounted on the housing flange and a slot of substantially right angular conformation in the attaching flange to receive the bolt.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which the fastening means comprises a keyhole slot in the attaching flange to receive at its small end the shank of a screw, and a protrusion in the attaching flange at the junction of the wide and narrow portions of the keyhole slot to engage the head of the screw when in the narrow portion of the slot.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which the fastening means includes a plurality of projecting members mounted on the housing and a plurality of apertures in the fan and motor mount each to receive one projecting member, the mount being secured in place on the housing by motion of the mount toward the housing to 7 pass the projecting members through the apertures and subsequent rotational movement of the mount relative to the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

